Whatever Became of the Love Of His Life?
by supermantn
Summary: I Spy's Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott return home to Philadelphia to discover the fate of Kelly's lost love, Tatia Loring.


Whatever Became of the Love of His Life?

By

Dough Hubler

In the sweltering summer of 1776, members of the Second Continental Congress often wrote and complained about the oppressive July heat in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's a shame that none of them had a son as thoughtful and devoted as Wanda Mae Scott's.

"It's wonderfulness!" she exclaimed, eyes blissfully closed and silver-haired head tilted back. She stood open armed in front of the new window-mounted air-conditioner and languished in its near arctic blast. "That's what it is… pure wonderfulness!"

Alexander Scott wrapped a loving arm about his mother's tiny shoulders and hugged, saying, "I'm glad you like it, Mom. Happy birthday!"

Kelly Robinson sat lightly on the arm of the sofa and quietly, affectionately regarded both the mother and son standing before him. Alexander, as his mother always referred to him, stood six foot tall and was athletically built. His mother, however, stood in stark contrast. Wanda Mae Scott was small and slim, standing a little more stooped at the shoulder than Kelly remembered from his last visit. Scotty and Mom, as Robinson would forever call them both, shared the same strong features as well as the same glint of devilment in their deep, brown eyes and Kelly was prayerfully grateful to have been unofficially adopted into this family. If anyone in the neighborhood found it strange that Kelly Robinson, a tall, young, handsome, Caucasian tennis player called their elderly, dark-skinned neighbor "mom", they never once expressed it.

"Maybe now you'll both come home to visit a little more often!" Wanda Mae smiled, gently patting her son's chest. She then walked to the center of her tiny living room and hugged Kelly's neck adding, "Thank you both for such a wonderful present!"

"You're welcome, mom!" Kelly grinned widely over her slim shoulder at his partner, a man who for years had posed as Kelly's sports trainer but was in fact as effective an espionage agent as Robinson himself.

"What do you mean, 'you're welcome, mom'?" Scotty blurted, pointing at the twice-blessed cooling unit. "You don't get to say, 'you're welcome, mom'! Do you have any idea what all I went through trying to carry that thing, _by myself_, all the way up to this floor? Even pinched my finger hooking it up! Look ….!"

Wanda Mae reached over and swatted at her son with her slight, open hand, saying, "Now, Alexander, don't you be that way! All of God's children know that it's the thought that counts!"

"See there? That's right," Kelly agreed. "And I honestly, truly thought about helping you do all that… stuff! Besides," he added, glancing at his watch. "_My_ gift should've been here by now. Maybe I should give that agency a call….." The questioning expressions before him prompted Kelly to concede, "Well, okay, I really wanted this to be a surprise, but… Mom, for your birthday, I've arranged for a cleaning service to come up to the apartment once a week for the next year, so you can take it a little easier around here! They told me that they'll sweep, dust, change the sheets….."

"Kelly?… A cleaning lady?… Is coming here?" asked Wanda Scott incredulously. "Today?"

"Yes, ma'am," Kelly grinned, looking again at his watch. "And, I'm tellin' ya right now, she really should've been here already….."

"Get up! Get up!" ordered Wanda Mae as she yanked a dishtowel from her apron and began swatting at the two young men with the ragged end of it. "Start picking up this mess this very minute! I declare, tell me company's coming when this house is a pig sty….."

"Mom, Mom," Kelly laughed, trying to embrace the silver-haired cyclone. "We don't have to clean the house for the cleaning service! That's what they're coming here to do, don't'cha see?"

Mrs. Scott placed her tiny fists firmly on her hips and glared a hole through Mr. Robinson, saying, "Kelly Eugene Robinson, if you think for one minute that I'm going to let a visitor to my home see it in such a state… oh!" She spun on one heel and started from the room. "You boys pick up in here while I tend to that kitchen!"

Kelly and Scotty looked to one another, shrugged in resignation, and began straightening the living room.

"Uh, sir," Kelly started, randomly moving items around on the coffee table. "A moment of your time, if you will."

"Certainly," Scotty replied, smoothing out the lace doilies on the head and arms of the overstuffed easy chair.

"Why in the world does your mom think that my middle name is 'Eugene'?"

Scotty grinned tight-lipped, saying, "'Cause that's what I told her it was."

"But, its not," Robinson explained, confusion etched into his nearly flawless face. "She's wrong 'bout that and you know it!"

"Fine. You tell her she's wrong," Scott's smile stretched even wider.

"You….." Kelly started, biting off whatever adjective he was considering. "I'm… I'll… you….."

"G'head," Scott gestured towards the kitchen door. "G'head and break an old lady's heart, make her think she's gone all senile and everything!"

"What I'll tell her is," Kelly stalled, rapidly searching for an effective alternative if not an out and out bluff. His eyes lit up as a wicked smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "What I'll tell her is that you have _not_ been eating your greens!"

Every molecule of mirth suddenly fled from Scotty's face as he took a hesitant step towards his partner. "No, now waitaminit, Kel," he stammered, genuine concern clouding over him.

"That's right, I'll tell her that you've been lying in all your letters home and that _you_ said if I didn't go along with it, I couldn't come over and play any more!"

"You can't, uh," Scott's voice dropped low, conspiratorial, scared spitless. "You can't tell my mom that I haven't been eating my greens, man!"

"Hey, mom!" Kelly nearly sang, sinfully enjoying every moment.

Scotty made a mad dash towards the kitchen door, pleading with his partner, "I'm not foolin' around 'bout this now! Don't rat me out to my mom about my greens!"

Wanda Mae came through the door, but before either agent could vie for her attention, she said, "Oh, Alexander, I've been meaning to ask you… did that nice young lady ever get in touch with you?"

Scotty jumped at the opportunity to take command of the conversation by replying, "Which nice, young lady is that, Mom?" He grinned at Kelly, adding, "I'm a very popular young man around here, don't'cha see? Thought I might have to claim Philadelphia as a dependant on my income tax last year!"

Wanda's face scrunched up into a caricature of concentration and Kelly Robinson had to chuckle. How often had he seen that same expression on his partner's face over the years?

"Now, what was her name again?" she muttered aloud, staring up towards the ceiling. "Pretty little thing, she was… Lord?… No, Loring! That's what it was!" she grinned. "Miss Loring!"

Kelly couldn't utter a sound. His soul was suddenly filled with the essence of her, her smile, her scent, her touch, and all he could manage to do was smile and softly say, "Tash."

Scotty witnessed his partner's reaction, but before he could intervene, Kelly asked, "Mom, this girl, this… Miss Loring… what did she look like? Was she about so high… blond?"

Mrs. Scott closed her eyes and shook her head emphatically, answering, "Oh, no, her hair was dark, dark as mine."

"But, Mom," offered Scotty. "Your hair is gray."

Wanda crossed her bony, little arms defiantly over her bony, little chest and nailed her son with a penetrating glare, saying, "Excuse me, young man, but my driver's license says my hair is _black_, and that driver's license is an official, government document! Are you going to stand there and say that an official, government document is a lie?"

"No, ma'am."

"That's better," she soothed, patting Scotty's shoulder.

"Her hair was black?" asked Kelly quietly, staring at a spot on the floor. His eyes slowly rose to meet his partner's as he simply asked, "Scotty?"

Alexander Scott crossed over to the end table and retrieved a thick phonebook, which he offered to Kelly, adding, "Here, turn to the 'L's and see how many 'Lorings' there are in Philadelphia alone! Go on!… just be sure to give it back, 'cause Mom likes to sit on it when she's using her official, government document."

Wanda Mae merely nodded in agreement, saying, "I need it to see over the steering wheel."

Kelly allowed a small, sad smile and a "Yeah" to escape with a breath he felt like he had been holding. "Right. Okay, that's enough of that! Now….."

"Kelly," Wanda said softly, placing a tender, loving hand on his arm. "This girl you're thinking about… she broke your heart, didn't she, baby?"

"Yeah… yeah, mom, I guess she did," he smiled warmly at her, placing his hand over hers. "But, to be perfectly honest, I think I broke hers as well."

Scotty spoke softly but directly, saying, "Kel, it's been two years, man."

Before Robinson could either argue or agree, Wanda looked up into her son's eyes and said, "The heart can't read a calendar, Alexander."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Showered, shaved, and suited, Kelly came out of the bedroom to find Scotty standing near the front door, his own suit coat hooked on a thumb and slung over one shoulder. Scott scowled at his watch as his mother came from the kitchen, drying her hands with the same, ragged dishtowel, asking, "So, where are my two boys off to this fine evening?"

Kelly checked both of his cufflinks and replied, "Well, I kinda thought we'd go down to the Woolworth's… Scotty tells me that they make a mean banana split."

Mrs. Scott's voice took on a maternal sternness as she whipped the towel against Kelly's backside, saying, "Don't you sass me, boy!"

"No, ma'am!" Kelly stammered as he jumped from the snap of the towel. "I wouldn't… for the life'a me… sass, uh… Scotty's driving! I'm just ridin' shotgun!"

"Now, I don't want you boys out too late, hear?" Wanda Mae wagged her bony, little finger at the two men. "I know its Saturday night and all, but we have church in the morning and then there's the picnic after!"

"Uh," Kelly started, shifted smoothly into "charm". "About that… see, I'm not really what you'd call a big… 'church' kinda guy, mom."

"You _are _a Christian, aren't you, Kelly?"

He cleared his throat, looked to his partner and best friend for assistance and found there instead a silent grin. "I suppose… that is…. uh, yeah! Sure, of course! Well, I believe in God and all that….!"

"Kelly," she cut him off softly. "The devil himself 'believes in God'! Satan knows for a solid gold fact that God exists, but he isn't going to spend eternity in Paradise now, is he?" When Kelly couldn't offer a single word in reply, Wanda triumphantly concluded with, "It's settled then! Worship service in the morning then the churchwide picnic after! Oh, Alexander! So many families are coming! It'll be just like a wonderful reunion!"

………………………………………………………………………

"… and, Jo says that my brother, Russell, will be there, too!" Scotty grinned as he swirled his eggroll around the puddle of General Tso sauce. "Y'know, that's his bed that you've been sleeping in."

When Scott had mentioned to Robinson that the best, most authentic Chinese food in all of Philadelphia could only be found at a restaurant called "Pedro's", Kelly had wisely reserved judgment. He now, however, made a mental note to return to this little bistro as often as humanly, and geographically, possible.

"I thought you and your brother, Russell, shared a bed," Kelly said as he smiled beguilingly at the young, beautiful Puerto Rican waitress refilling his water glass.

Scotty nodded, stuffing the last bite of eggroll into his mouth and managing to talk around it. "I got tired of him wetting the bed."

The smile instantly vanished from Kelly's face as he hesitantly asked, "Uh, did your brother, Russell, happen to wet the bed that _I'm_ sleeping in?"

"Not since he moved out!" Scotty grinned.

"I'm sorry 'bout that!" Kelly sighed.

The lovely, teenaged waitress reappeared with a small, plastic tray holding the check and two fortune cookies, successfully derailing Kelly's train of thought.

"My child, my child," Kelly beamed, flashing a mouthful of dazzlingly white teeth. "One is tempted to ask where you've been all my life!"

The dark-haired beauty flashed a heart-breaking smile of her own, replying, "And one might be tempted to answer that, for the first half of it, I wasn't even born yet!"

"True, true!" Scotty scoffed as he gladly accepted the tray and watched his best friend's shoulders slump as the teenaged temptress walked away. "And the score stands Lions three, Christians nothing!"

"I'm tellin' ya right now," Kelly quietly complained, turning back and slouching in his seat. "I've talked to two women in the entire city of Philadelphia and they've both handed me my lungs in a bucket! So, what does your fortune cookie say?"

"Well," Scotty started, his tone suddenly serious. "It says that your partner made a call to Washington while you were in the shower."

"Is that a fact?" answered Kelly with mocked concern. "Mine says, 'Help! I'm being held prisoner in a fortune cookie factory!'"

"And, it also says that our favorite uncle gave me permission," Scotty continued, his voice low and measured. "To bring you up to speed concerning Tatia."

Kelly's face turned suddenly to stone. He stared at his partner for several seconds, then quietly asked, "What are you talking about, man?"

"Tatia Loring," he replied, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the tabletop. "Has spent the past two years in Washington. We've had her in training, to come over to our side."

Kelly sat silent a moment as the news washed over him. He then sniffed once and said, "But, that's, uh… she… she was arrested…. I… we both saw them take her away….."

"While you were in her room that night, I made the call to the local police," Scotty began, filling in the sudden silence. "That much you knew. Right after that, I called Washington. They had two of our operatives waiting at the station when Tatia was brought in. We made her the offer, she accepted, all charges were summarily dismissed… and, we've been working with her, training her ever since."

"And my partner," Kelly's voice held an edge to it that could slice granite. "My best friend kept this information from me because….?"

"Because he was under orders to… orders that I happened to agree with." Before Kelly could further question his partner's loyalties, Scotty continued. "You were way too close, Kel, and we both know it. If you had known then where Tatia was and what she was doing, you would've interfered, and for good or bad, you would've contaminated the entire process. We would've never known if her conversion was legit, just a way to be with you, or a free 'get out of jail' card."

Kelly's voice became softened, almost resigned as he slowly admitted, "And… you wouldn't really know if I was coaching her or covering for her outright. Okay, I get it," he huffed. "Makes me wanna smack you right in the mouth again, but….."

"'Again'?" Scotty grinned.

"Anyway," conceded Kelly. "You're tellin' me all of this now, so I assume her training is over."

"That's why I called Washington. It _was_ Tatia who came to see my mom. Since she knew better then to involve my family any further, she left a message for me at the central office, thanking me for my help and all that."

"Help?"

Scotty shrugged, saying, "She needed a sponsor and a senior advisor. Since I was the one who recommended bringing her in….."

Kelly's eyes softened and a genuine, warm smile claimed his face. "Well, I gotta tell ya, pard, if it couldn't be me, I'm glad it was you. Can you at least tell me where she is now, since she's one'a us, or do I need to go unpack my Little Orphan Annie Decoder Ring?"

"Don't know," Scotty sighed. "They didn't tell me… and they didn't tell me why they didn't tell me either! Chances are, she's already out on her first assignment… probably playing courier. That's how we all start out." He pushed his chair back, stood, tossed an exorbitant tip onto the table and stretched. "They did tell the both of us not to get too comfortable, though… we should have an assignment all our own in a day or two. But!" he grinned, clapping his hands together. "Tonight belongs to us, Holmes! And, I know every crook and nanny in this town! Just name your poison!"

"Y'know," Kelly replied, standing and sliding gracefully into his suit coat. "The more I think about it… the better that banana split at Woolworth's sounds!"

………………………………………………………………………

Jo Scott had purposefully planted herself on the pew between her big brother and his best friend. Whenever either Kelly or Scotty threatened to nod off during the pastor's sermon, Jo would dutifully and firmly jab her elbow into their ribs.

Neither of them nodded off more than once.

Kelly now sat outside on a thick, patchwork blanket beneath a cool, shady willow. His jacket and tie lay neatly folded beside him and, with his collar open and his sleeves rolled up, Kelly leaned back against the tree and enjoyed a peace and tranquility he seldom got the time or opportunity for.

Scotty's younger brother, Russell, had spirited him away from the picnic for some unknown reason, so Kelly sat watching the families around him eating, laughing, talking and dancing… and was sincerely grateful that Wanda Mae had forced him to attend. The warmth of both the sun and the fellowship, the gentle caress of the breeze, and the general feeling of contentment had begun to work their wonders on Kelly. Just as he was beginning to succumb, to gently doze, he felt the warmth of her breath on his ear and heard the voice of an angel say, "Hello, my love."

Kelly couldn't utter a sound. His soul was suddenly filled with the essence of her, her smile, her scent, her touch, and all he could manage to do was smile and softly say, "Tash."

He scrambled to his feet and turned, standing so straight that he appeared to be leaning slightly backwards. Her eyes gripped his heart in its gentle grasp and her smile melted his every reservation. Suddenly, she was in his arms and he became lost in the feel, the fragrance, the completeness of her.

"I didn't know," he started, whispering into her thick, lush hair. His breath nearly caught in his throat. "I thought you were….."

"Shhh," Tatia Loring soothed into his ear, stroking the back of his hair as she held him close against her. "I know, I know. Oh, Kelly… I wanted so badly to contact you, to hear your voice, but… well, you know how Russ is about such things."

"Yes," he agreed with a soft expulsion of breath. "I do indeed know how Russ is about such things." He reluctantly pulled slightly back and gazed lovingly at her angelic face. Without uttering a word, he began stroking her soft, black hair.

"Do you like it?" she asked hopefully, sounding as anxious as a schoolgirl. "The department decided that I was far too recognizable as a blond….."

"And everywhere that Tatia went," Kelly added with a smile. "Every head turned to stare at the dream walking. Not exactly the kind of attention we seek out in our line of work!"

Tatia placed a smooth hand against his cheek, saying, "Unless you happen to be a world famous tennis player."

"Well, there is _that_!"

As far as the two of them were concerned, Kelly Robinson and Tatia Loring were completely and totally lost to the world around them. No words needed to be spoken aloud as they stood wrapped in the warmth of the moment. Finally, painfully, Kelly asked, "I have so much I want to say to you, Tash. How long can you stay? Scotty and me, we… have an assignment pending, but until then….."

"But, I already have an assignment of my own, my dearest love. To tell the truth," she leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "I'm probably breaking a good half dozen rules just being here right now!"

Kelly paused for but a moment, and then gently asked, "Can you talk about it… the assignment?"

She smiled in response and shrugged her delicate shoulders, saying, "Not much to talk about, really. I'm a courier, delivering information to one of our operatives in a city called Montesilvano. I'll have a few days there of sea and sun, then back to Washington. In fact," she added, looking first to her watch and then sadly raising her eyes to meet his.

Kelly inhaled deeply and wrapped his arms about Tatia's wasp-like waist, drawing her closer. Their noses barely brushing each other, he said, "Start saving your vacation days," and grinned.

She giggled girlishly and pulled him into a kiss that was both deep and long. When they finally parted, she once again placed her hand gently against his cheek, turned, and wordlessly walked away.

Kelly stood transfixed, staring after her. He watched until she had completely vanished from sight and still he continued to watch, half expecting her to come running back into his arms.

"Hey!"

Scotty's voice came rumbling from behind him and Kelly reluctantly abandoned the hope. Turning around, he saw Scotty trotting towards him, trying not to drop the two ice-cream cones that were rapidly melting all over both of his hands.

"Some spy you are," he scolded, handing a cone to Kelly. "I've been calling your name for the past twenty yards, man! You're not too awfully observant, are you?"

"I'm sorry," Kelly smiled, taking a quick lick of his cone. "Did you say something?"

"That phone call Russell came to tell me about," continued Scott, circling the cone with his tongue, trying to fight against each new drip. "It was your favorite uncle and mine. We fly out tonight."

"Your mom's gonna hate that."

"I'm not too crazy 'bout it myself, but you pays your money….."

"… and you takes your chances." they both finished together.

The two friends began a slow saunter back towards the Scott's picnic table as Kelly asked, "So, what's the assignment?"

"Don't know yet," Scotty replied between licks. "Russ said that we'd be briefed once we arrived."

"Well, did he at least tell you where we're going?"

"That he did, m'boy!" Scotty grinned tightlipped, dropping into a well rehearsed if poorly executed impression of W.C. Fields. "Prepare yourself, m'dear, to jet off to the Adriatic Sea… to a veritable wonderland shaded by the picturesque sylvan foothills of the ever-popular Gran Sasso Mountains!"

"Certainly, certainly!" Kelly replied. "I would expect nothing less of our dear, ol' Uncle Russ! And what, pray tell, would be the name of this wonderous place if it had one?"

"Montesilvano."

Kelly couldn't utter a sound. His soul was suddenly filled with the essence of her, her smile, her scent, her touch, and all he could manage to do was smile and softly say, "Tash."


End file.
